


Leaf Monarch

by blackmage87



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Undertale AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-12 16:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 7,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7940641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackmage87/pseuds/blackmage87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Rune is used to fending for herself<br/>*But an underground world with monsters where your very SOUL can be put into battle?<br/>~ ~ ~<br/>*This happened completely on accident, I was making an OC and wanted to see how she'd react to the Underground, and, well,<br/>*I didn't intend it, and originally thought she would be one of the other six souls, but where hers is so unique I guess she'll be replacing Frisk :/ <br/>*Which, I suppose is all right, I mean they are supposed to represent the player themselves, anyway,<br/>[edit: unless something happens and Asgore doesn't get her soul . . . >:D<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Listen, Dear: That Flower Is Trouble

    An incredibly earthy smell prompted her awake. It wasn’t terribly foreign, she liked sleeping under the stars. But this, this was different. And she couldn’t recall why she’d chosen such an uncomfortable place to sleep. Or why she was sore all over.

    Carefully, she pushed herself up to a sitting position, absently rubbing an elbow as she looked around.

    “… yellow flowers? What … what **is** this,”

    Her gaze drifted upward, following the towering pillars that reached towards the cavern’s roof which was now far, far away.

    Memory pounded into her like a wave. She’d been traveling like normal, come across a mountain … heard a voice …

    She rose and turned in a small circle, peering into the darkness surrounding her. “Hello?”

    There was no response, and she felt certain she was forgetting something, there was something missing,

    “My ax!” Her gaze lifted skyward again, and she found herself without her weapon. Well, one of them. “… great …”

    She came to terms with her injuries and explored the cavern briefly, but with little to find, she soon resigned herself to traversing to the next room.

    She stopped almost instantaneously.

    Looming in a patch of grass about four feet in front of her, under none-too-ominous lighting from a patch of sun that had slipped through the earth above it was a small, six petaled flower.  **Grinning** at her.

    “Howdy!” it chirped.

    She didn’t move. She couldn’t.

    “I’m Flowey, Flowey the flower! Hm … you’re new to the Underground, aren’tcha?” ‘Flowey’ continued. “Golly, you must be so confused–hey,” his face dropped a little. “Where are you going?”

    She’d taken a few steps back. There had been a few times before where she encountered some creature or other that probably shouldn’t exist. And none had been to friendly. Plus this little yellow thing practically screamed “don’t trust me”.

    “… nowhere.”

    Flowey tilted it’s head, watching her for a moment. “That’s right,” it muttered. “You’re not going anywhere.”

    As if it could be any more ominous. She took another careful step back, but froze when the flower suddenly disappeared under the earth. Her eyes darted back and forth, searching for a sign of it.

    “… Flowey . . ?” She gasped as a strange sensation took over. The world drained to black and white ... all except a small heart floating a few inches in front of her. The flower was back, beyond the heart. It looked confused, and it’s gaze flitted between her and the said object.

    “What … what  **are**  you?” it hissed.

    The colors from the heart were leaving everything washed in an eerie, flickering light. Blue. Orange. Red.

    She knew a battle when she saw one, however strange this particular instance might be. “What do you mean?” she offered, hoping to stall and figure out just what the hell was going on.

    “You, your  **soul** ,” Flowey’s face contorted and released a wide gaping smile. “How interesting! I’ll take that,”

    She tried to step out of the way, but her body was constricted, and tiny white pellets were coming straight for her-  
  
    No, not her.  
  
    The heart.  
  
    She started as the collision left her feeling a new kind of pain. What was this thing? This flower? This place?

    The numbers before her dropped.

_… he said, my soul,_

    She tried reaching out to the flickering heart before her, and found she could move it. But it would do no good, Flowey wasn’t playing around anymore and completely circled her soul with more bullets. They were closing in–

    She focused further on the heart, her soul, she assumed, and bid it in a direction that she knew wouldn’t get hit: towards her. 

    Flowey looked even more confused than before, and his attack froze.

    “No thanks you can’t have it.” She informed him. 

    The world repainted itself with color so slowly that she almost didn’t see it happening. The flower’s creepy face had dropped, and was now simply studying her with pure fascination. 

    “Right … I’ll see you around,”

    Before she could say a word it had ducked beneath the surface again, and she was left alone. 

    Well, almost alone.

    “Oh! Greetings my child, are you hurt?”

    She spun around and found a tall, motherly creature heading towards her. It wore a deep purple dress with white symbols on it, and had horns and long floppy ears, like a rabbit. It looked worried.

    “… me?”

    The creature nodded her head slightly in response. “I am Toriel, caretaker of the ruins. I come here every day to see if anyone has fallen down. Are you hurt?” the creature repeated.

    This one didn’t appear nearly as menacing, and rather reminded her of an aunt she’d met, once.

    “It’s not bad.” Rune assured.

    The area above Toriel’s eyes pinched together in concern. “Here, let me heal you.”

    She felt the creature’s paw on her head, and suddenly the aches and would-be-bruises, and the strange pain delivered from Flowey, all disappeared.

    “Wow,” she looked up at Toriel. “Thank you, I don’t know what you did, but I feel much better.”

    Toriel smiled. “I’m so happy I could help, my child. But we shouldn’t stay out here,” the creature glanced back toward the room in which she’d awoken. “Would you follow me? My home is not far from here.”

    She decided she liked this creature, and gave a decisive nod. “Sure.”

    Toriel reached out a paw, and she took it. The caretaker began leading her through the catacombs. “What is your name, child?”

    “I’m [Rune](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?http://blackmage87.tumblr.com/ironfist).”


	2. Smol Rune Is Smol

    “So, you take care of these ruins?” Rune asked, glancing back at the dark doorway behind them. 

    “Yes.” 

    “But, why? If they’re ruins? Is there anyone else here?” Toriel looked a little sad and Rune was sorry she’d asked. She changed the subject before the goat-like creature could respond. “Have you ever seen a talking flower?” 

    Toriel looked intrigued. “ ‘Talking-’? Well, yes, I suppose, but not here.” 

    “Oh … I like your name.” 

    The creature smiled. “And I yours, my child. It is very unique, uncommon.” 

    “I think that was probably the point.” 

    Their conversation paused as they reached a room with six grey buttons in the floor and a yellow switch on the far wall. 

    “The ruins are full of puzzles,” Toriel began. 

    “Puzzles?” Rune narrowed her eyes at a slab of writing opposite the switch and tilted her head. “Cool, can I try it?” 

    Toriel seemed a little surprised, but was on board with the idea. 

    She stared at the slab a long moment, making each word out slowly. “ ‘Only the … fearless, may …” she gave a low growl of frustration, wishing she’d taken more time to learn reading. She’d never found it very important, and was usually with someone who could read for her, if the need arose. “… proceed. Brave, ones, foolish ones. Both, walk … not the … middle, road.’ … well that’s not helpful.” 

    Rune wandered back towards the entrance, under the gaze of Toriel, and looked more closely at the puzzle, but could discern no hints or clues of any kind. “Wait,” she scowled at the floor and noticed the two buttons in the center were on a small sort of path, like the one leading around between the two doors. “Oh!” Rune went around to the four on the edges and pressed them down, confident she’d deduced the riddle’s meaning. 

    Nothing happened. 

    “Eh?” 

    She heard a small laugh and Toriel came up from behind her to approach the far wall. “You’ve done it correctly, Rune,” she assured as she threw the switch. The door slid open. 

    Rune’s face grew a little warm in embarrassment. “Oh.” 

    “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, my child, you did very well. Shall we continue?” 

    “Uh, yeah, okay.” She couldn’t shake off the feeling of being followed, and was highly suspicious it was the little Flowey thing, but any glances back held no reward. Nevertheless, she followed Toriel to the next room. “Oh, wow!” 

    There were pastel green vines stretching from floor to ceiling, holding on to whatever holding they could find in the pinkish purple blocks of wall and leaves shrouding wherever the individuals wrapped around one another. There were a few places where a bridge was needed to cross tiny controlled rivers, their water was clear and blue … and reminded her of the colors her soul had shone less than an hour ago. Why had she never known about her soul before? Why was Flowey so fascinated by it? Why had he let her go? Who was this Toriel? **Where was she?**  

    “Rune?” Toriel was looking down at her, concerned. 

    “Uh, sorry, hi.” Toriel gave a small smile and shook her head, amused. “This room is much simpler, and I’ve labeled the switches you must trigger. I’m sure you can handle it.” With that she headed for the far end of the room, which was blocked by silver spikes rising from the floor. Rune raised an eyebrow at the odd roadblock, but shrugged it off and headed for the switches that had, indeed, been very clearly labeled. 

    The next room had a very sad looking dummy that appeared like it may fall over any moment. Toriel explained how, as a human, monsters might attack. 

_No shite, _Rune thought to herself._ If even flowers go after people I can’t wait to see the rest of the monsters._  

    “You will need to be prepared,” Toriel continued. 

    “Oh, uh, Miss Tori,” Rune edged in. “Well … I’m not exactly a stranger to fighting, I,” she sighed. “I know I don’t look it, but I’m nearly twenty years old and, uh, up there,” she pointed unnecessarily upwards. “I traveled around to help people, when they couldn’t help themselves. It usually involved fighting.” Rune hated how short she was. And where she had a bit of a hyper and curious personality she tended to be mistaken for someone much younger. 

    Toriel was no exception, apparently, and blinked slowly. “You … you’ve fought, on the surface?” 

    “Yeah, uh,” she pointed down to the armored guards around her knees. 

    “And you are nearly twenty?” 

    “Yeah, I know I, I’m short. People think I’m a kid a lot, it’s real annoying actually. My ax usually helps, but uh, I lost it when I fell down here. Probably still in the cave up there.” 

    Toriel was frowning at the ground for a few moments before she raised her head and smiled. “I’m sorry I mistook your age, Rune, I’ve only ever seen human children.” 

    “That’s okay, like I said you aren’t the only one.” 

    “Well, I am happy you will be able to handle yourself, but please know you have no reason to fight down here. Most monsters will only be confused by your presence, you can talk to them to stall for time and I shall come resolve the conflict … if you cannot solve it yourself.” she added. 

    Rune gave a smile and small bow. “Okay, thank you.” Toriel froze at the motion. “Uh, sorry, I-I didn’t mean anything by it, humans use it as a sign of respect, sometimes, I’m sorry if-” 

    “You are fine my chil–Rune,” Toriel corrected herself. “No, nothing to worry about. Shall we move to the next room?”

    They continued their trek through the ruins, each step still feeling haunted by a flower-shaped shadow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Ye she's short  
> *And she hates it heh


	3. Okay But How Does This Phone Even Work?

 

    Toriel paused. “I’m afraid I have some business to attend to, and you’ll have to stay alone for a while.”

    Rune gave a nod. “Okay.”

    “Please remain here, it would be dangerous to explore by yourself.”

    Rune resisted the urge to insist that she would be fine, and found herself being given a gift. She scoffed in surprise. 

    “Can you even get service down here . . ?” she looked up, but found Toriel was completely serious. 

    “I am not sure what you mean, but I can assure you it will work. Here,” 

    Tori pulled out a similar device and Rune found the phone in her hand ringing. With not much else to do, she picked it up.

    “Eyo.”

    “Hello, Rune. See?”

    Rune nodded and hung up the phone, slipping it into a pocket inside her boot. 

    “If you have a need for anything, just call. I shall return to get you as soon as I can.”

    Rune gave a shrug. “No rush. It’s nice here, I might take a nap.”

    Toriel smiled. “Okay … be good, alright?”

    Rune nodded and Tori turned and left the room. 

_Alone again,_ she thought to herself, looking back down the long hallway. She leaned against the pillar at the end and slid down to sit. She had actually been serious about the nap, but found she couldn’t help herself. 

    *Ring Ring*

    “This is Toriel.” The friendly monster’s voice came through the line. 

    Rune couldn’t help cracking a smile. “Hi.”

    “Hello Rune … is anything wrong?”

    “No.”

    “You just wanted to say hello?”

    “Maybe,”

    “Well then, ‘hello’! I hope that suffices. Hee hee.”

    *Click*

    Rune giggled and dialed again. 

    *Ring Ring*

    “This is Toriel. You want to say hello again? ‘Salutations’! Is that enough?”

    *Click*

    Rune couldn’t stand it and burst out laughing. This was all so ridiculous! She’d seen a few witches in her time, witnessed some of the things technology could do, come across a talking bird and a tree that had a mind of its own, she’d even gotten lost in just about the craziest village she’d ever seen, but this? An underground world of monsters where your soul could be pulled into battle, instead of your body? She supposed in this case it didn’t matter much that her ax had been left behind. But why hadn’t she ever heard of this place?

    No, she was certain she had. Or at least seen something about it. The symbols on Miss Tori’s dress were very familiar. She knew she’d heard stories about monsters being banished after a war, but never had any idea where they were, and certainly hadn’t imagined that that cave in the mountain could lead down to it. 

_But what about Flowey?_

    Rune leaned back and looked down the way they’d come. There was still nothing to be seen _. Toriel mentioned other monsters, but didn’t seem to know him. It seems like she knows the ruins pretty well, and they don’t seem particularly large. Why wouldn’t she know Flowey if she’s the caretaker? Was it new?_ She shook her head.  _No, it’d been waiting for someone to fall down just as much as Tori had. Why?_ Rune scowled in thought. _It wanted my soul … was that it? Could monsters do that?_

    She had a feeling they could. This was all really strange, and definitely different then anything she’d come across. But she’d found the cave in the middle of the night after climbing all day, and while she’d spent a bit unconscious having fallen down, she was incredibly tired, and despite her better instincts found herself dozing against the pillar, cell phone in hand.


	4. This Chapter's Almost As Short As Rune

_(…)_

_(…wake up.)_

_(…Rune..?)_

_(…)_


	5. Mt. Ebott Flashback~

_(...wake up...)_

_*You cannot give up just yet..._

_*Chara! Stay determined!_

    Rune jolted awake, the remnants of strange whispers floating through her head ... and a disturbance in the nearby earth where she was sure a certain yellow flower had been.

_That voice, that’s the one I heard, in the cave,_

#####     It was beyond dark, and had been for a few hours. It wasn’t raining yet but the air and trees told Rune that it would soon. She had to find some kind of shelter unless she wanted to get soaked.   
 _(Wait,)  
_     She stopped short, raising her ax suspiciously and looking around. She hadn’t heard anyone approaching.   
    “Hello?”  
 _(...)  
_     “Who’s there!?”  
 _(It’s going to rain,)  
_     Rune pinpointed the direction the...voice, was coming from, but wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Nonetheless, she slipped between the underbrush towards the voice and found-  
    “A cave,” she muttered. “He-llooo,”  
 _(Greetings.)  
_     “...are you in there?”  
 _(Yes.)  
_     “Friend or foe?”  
 _(...)  
_     “Well?”  
 _(...neither.)_  
    This was actually a rather standard response. And while she didn’t trust the voice completely, she was sure she could reason with it, or at least take it down if she had to. But for now, she’d go inside to avoid the storm.

    *Ring Ring*

    Rune jumped from her memory and fumbled to answer the phone. “Yeah hi?”

    “Hello! This is Toriel.”

    Rune rubbed her eyes, trying to focus.

    “My errands are taking long than I thought they would,” Tori continued. She paused. “Rune?”

    “Mh?”

    “Are you quite all right? You seem rather ... despondent.”

    Rune blinked at the word, but could essentially gather its meaning. “Um, yeah, sorry, I fell asleep.”

    “Oh! Did I wake you? I’m so sorry,”

    “It’s fine. Really, don’t worry about it.”

    Toriel didn’t sound certain, but relented. “All right,”

    “Bye, then,”

    “Yes,”

    *Click*

    Rune sat, still holding the phone to her ear. There had been another voice. 

  _Who's Chara?_


	6. Bscotch? Cinnamon? Why Not Both?

    Rune stayed there for quite a while. Thinking, wondering if she was going insane, or if she’d died and this was a really really weird afterlife. Eventually she stood and began walking around to stretch her legs. Without really meaning to, she found herself in the next room … and confronted by a monster.

    Not really confronted. The squat, frog-like thing was sitting to the side of the path. It appeared to have another creature underneath it? She wasn’t sure.

    It looked up at her.

    “Hello, frog … thing.”

    “Ribbit, ribbit.” (Excuse me, human)

    Rune’s eyes grew wide. Was … was this the same voice as before?

    (I have some advice for you about battling monsters)

    Rune slowly knelt down near the frog monster. “… okay,”

    (If you act a certain way, or fight until you almost defeat them … they might not want to battle you anymore. If a monster does not want to fight you, please … use some mercy, human.) “Ribbit.”

    Rune narrowed her eyes. “You make that sound like it’s an item or something.” The frog creature stared at her and she backed up, deciding to explore the doorway behind it.

    She gasped and darted forward. “Candy!!”

    Her bubblegum stash had run out a while back and so she was doubly excited. She cursed at the second sign today but forced herself to read it out. “ ‘Take, one’ don’t mind if I do.” Rune unwrapped the little candy and popped it in her mouth, keeping the wrapper in her boot. Her face scrunched up after a moment. She couldn’t tell what flavor it was, just, that it wasn’t licorice. She shrugged it off and wandered back into the other room, deciding to try Toriel’s phone.

*Dialing …*

    “This is Toriel. Are you bored? I should have given a book to you. My apologies. Why not use your imagination to divert yourself? Pretend you are . . .”

    Rune waited to see what she would say.

    “A monarch!”

    Rune scowled and tilted her head. That is not what she had expected at all.

    “Rule over the leaf pile with a fist of iron. Can you do that for me? Oh,” she seemed to remember that Rune was not quite a child. “That is, if you’d like to,”

*Click*

    Rune blinked at the oddly square piles of red leaves in the hall, staying still for a moment. She spun abruptly on her heel and turned back to the frog thing, startling it.

    “All right you heard the lady! It is decreed! I am the Leafpile Monarch and shall rule this place with an iron fist!” she brought one arm in front of her as a fist to demonstrate, then spread her arms wide. “This! This is shall be my legacy and you!” she pointed to it and it’s eyes went wide. “My tiny amphibious friend, shall most definitely not plot to overthrow me in later days and steal my title, correct?”

    The monster didn’t seem to know what to do. “… ribbit?”

    “Good!!” Rune turned and ran to the nearest leafpile. “Yes! This is my monarchy!–uh, crown?–land–whatever this is mine!” she declared, stooping to to grab a leaf. She tucked it into her headband and put her hands on her hips. “And it shall be ruled, as the goat mother has decreed, with a fist … of … iron!”

*Ring Ring*

    “Eek!” Rune started and turned around in a circle trying to get the phone out quickly. “Hello yes hi?”

    There was a chuckle on the other line. “Hello, Rune! This is Toriel,”

    “I figured,”

    “Erm, for no reason in particular … which to you prefer? Cinnamon, or butterscotch?”

    Rune scowled. “Uh, as in … what?”

    “I, I am not sure I understand what it is you’re asking.”

    “Well I mean like cinnamon or bscotch candy, or just straight up, or ingredients in something else, or what?”

    The line was silent for a moment. “All of the above, I suppose.”

    Rune thought for a moment. “Well, I think in general I like butterscotch better but as far as in things go probably cinnamon? That’s in more stuff I think.”

    “Oh, I see. Thank you very much!”

    “Why do you–”

*Click*

    “… ask,” Rune put the phone away and stood still for a moment before taking off crinkling through the leaves, of which she was determined to be a good monarch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Yaaaaaaaa she’s finally got her leaf! And a monarch's land is called a "crown", btw
> 
> *Ah well. She’s a happy monarch now(and just because she’s not as young as the other humans that’ve fallen down doesn’t mean she’s any less of a child lol)
> 
> *And . . . this may or may not be how I reacted when I played XD


	7. Toby Give Goatmom Her Phone Back Thanks

*Ring Ring*

    A particularly large leaf pile was ringing. Some of the leaves shifted and there was an electronic ‘beep’.

    “Hello?” Rune answered.

    She scowled, listening, and sat up, leaves tumbling off her. Is that … a dog?

    Sure enough, from the other end came the sounds of heavy panting, followed by several barks in quick succession. Then came Toriel’s voice, though it seemed distant. 

    “Stop, please! Come back here with my cellphone!”

*Click*

    Rune held the phone out in front of her, staring at it in disbelief. 

    “… um …”


	8. Whimsum Approached Meekly!

    “Well,” Rune gave a slightly elaborate salute to the piles of leaves. “Thank you for allowing me a place as your monarch. I shall continue this burden from afar.” She finished off the salute and marched off, careful to follow the path with blocky turns and stay in the middle. 

    She’d almost reached the next room when she noticed something ahead of her. 

    “Mh…” she paused to assess it. It was a tiny flying creature that appeared…concerned? Frightened? She wasn’t sure. But suddenly it was heading for her. 

_(Whimsum approached meekly!)_

    Rune wasn’t sure which startled her more, the abrupt black and white battle around her or the voice which had called to her in the cave. She’d have to deal with the voice later. 

    “Hm,”

    There were four options in front of her. Strange, there hadn’t been any with Flowey. Of course none of this made any sense whatsoever, so some words in floating boxes were the least of her concerns. Act seemed interesting, and she remembered what the frog-

 _(Froggit.)_ the voice corrected.

    …what the Froggit had said. Act had three options. Console? What kind of fight is this? She couldn’t select Console though, and supposed that was something she had to do herself.

    “Ar-”

_(Halfway through your first word, Whimsum bursts into tears and runs away.)_

    Rune blinked as the voice narrated the outcome of the fight. Sure enough, Whimsum began to cry and quickly fluttered off. The strange pinkish purple of the ruins returned.

_(You won! You earned 0 XP and 0 gold.)_

    “…right. Who are you?”

    The voice didn’t respond. Rune sighed. 

    “You could at least tell me your name.”

_(…)_

    She scoffed and crossed her arms. “All right, where are you?”

_(…just, following you.)_

    “I figured,” Rune replied, turned to look around her again. “Don’t see you anywhere, you invisible or something?”

_(Something like that.)_

    “Well why are you following me?”

_(That’s…not really important.)_

    “I think it is.”

_(It doesn’t matter. Just…just know that I’m going to help you.)_

    Rune raised an eyebrow. “Help with what?”

_(Anything. I know more about the Underground than you, I think you’ll find my knowledge useful.)_

    “…why would you help me?”

_(You’re the first to fall with this much Determination. You’re like me.)_

    “Eh? What’s that suppos-”

*Ring Ring*

    “Aa! Geez,” Rune stooped to get the phone. “Hello?” She scowled, trying to figure out what she was hearing. “Umm, Miss Tori are you asleep?”

_(…It sounds like a small, white dog is sleeping on the cell phone.)_

    Rune scowled. “A what?”

    “Helloooo? Little puppy..?” Toriel’s voice sounded far away. “Where are you..? I will give you a nice pat on the head!”

    Rune raised an eyebrow as the snoring stopped.

    “…if you return my cellphone.”

    She laughed as the snoring resumed. 

*Click*

    “What, haha, just happened?!”

_(It appears the Annoying Dog has taken mo-Toriel’s phone.)_

    “Hm?”

_(What?)_

    “You started to say something else.”

_(…no.)_

    Rune rolled her eyes and put the phone back in it’s pocket. “Well, all-knowing-voice, where’s this room go?”

_(Another puzzle of sorts.)_

    “I could have told you that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Ah, yes, the sassy ghost child :D


	9. Literal Cliffhanger

    “…what kind of puzzle is this supposed to be?”

_(A monster one? What kind of a **question** is that supposed to be?)_

    Rune sighed and squinted at the obviously unstable ground before her, then the two…vents?…on either side.

    “…I have the answer to my question.”

_(Yes?)_

    “It’s a dumb puzzle.” Rune backed up a few feet, then took a running leap and landed safely on the other side.

_(…)_

    “What?”

_(It’s like you’re part rabbit or something,)_

    “Oh come off it.” Rune peered into the next room. “Oh good. Who’s idea was it to riddle the path with spikes and things?”

_(Well if you’d listened to mom she would’ve told you, they’re ancient fusions between diversions and door keys … also a lot of monster just got bored.)_

    Rune paused, noticing how young the voice in her head sounded. “ ‘Mom’?”

_(…you called her ‘goat mother’ earlier.)_

    She blinked. “Did I?”

_(When you were spastically being a monarch over the leaf pile and scaring the pants off that Froggit.)_

    “Hey I’m still the Leaf Monarch, thank you very little.” Rune collected, approaching the sign. “Mmm, ‘Th, three out, of’-”

 _(‘-four grey rocks recommend you push them.’)_ the voice finished.

    “H-hey!” Rune scowled. “I **can** read, you know.”

_(Not very well. It’s embarrassing.)_

    She scoffed. “It just…I’m just not very good at it. Never really needed to know how, and if there was ever something I needed to read I usually just…”

_(Just what?)_

    “…well I usually could just have one of the others read it.”

 _(What others?)_ the voice sounded intrigued. _(You were the only one there on the surface, right?)_

    “…”

_(Rune?)_

    She stepped on the little square switch and watched the spikes disappear underground. “So what I push the rock onto this?”

_(You’re changing the subject.)_

    “I’ll take that as a yes.” Rune crouched down and pushed the rock onto the switch, passing unharmed over the line of spikes. 

    The next room posed a problem.

    “Uh…”

    The voice giggled. _(Let’s see you jump this one.)_

    Rune scowled. “Wha..? How am I supposed to get past?”

_(…)_

    “Well?”

_(Not telling.)_

    “You’re a big help.”

_(I try.)_

    She shook her head and tentatively tested the ground. It would most definitely give out if she put her entire weight on it.

_(What are you thinking?)_

    “I mean, I can go across on my stomach, the spread of weight might not have the floor collapse on me,” she peered at the wall. “If I could get a handhold maybe just walking along the wall would work, it’s probably sturdier there, anyway,”

_(That’s…pretty smart.)_

    Rune shrugged. “Can’t read well but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to survive.”

_(Well have at it then.)_

    “…what’ll happen, if the floor does break? There aren’t more spikes down there, are there?”

_(Nah.)_

    “You sure?”

_(Yep.)_

    “…are you just saying that?”

_(I suppose you’ll never know.)_

    Rune threw up her hands and lingered by the wall, running a hand over the rock. There were plenty of handholds, as the bricks were clearly old and beginning to crumble, but that was the problem. If she trusted anything with her weight, it was possible it’d give out on her. 

_(Are…are you gonna just hang out here, or?)_

    “I’m going!”

    Rune tested the ground before her again, but it seemed sturdier here. She still found space on the wall to hang on to. She crept forward, gently adding weight little by little before fully stepping forward. Once more and she reached where the wall turned. It seemed her theory was correct.

_(Uh,)_

    She stopped. “Something to say?”

_(Mm, nope. Nevermind.)_

    “You sure?”

_(Yeah.)_

    “Well alright then.” Rune adjusted herself to continue along the wall. 

    She didn’t even get one step. The floor betrayed her and suddenly there was nothing but air beneath her. She tried to reach back, grab onto rock behind her, but all it did was crumble under her fingers.

    She fell.


	10. Ah Yep She Fell Again

    It took Rune a moment to realize she was alive. She was lying on her back staring up at the whole she’d crashed through.

    “…ow. What?”

    The voice snickered.  _(You fell, genius.)_

    “Yeah no shi-”

_(Oooooo~)_

    “..?”

_(Look a sign.)_

    Rune moaned and rolled over into a sitting position, looking around at the oddly shaped piles of leaves around her.

    Leaves!

    “My subjects!” She was set to run off through the piles when the voice interrupted her.

_(Maybe you should read the sign first,)_

    The mystery voice knew her well, maybe too well…

    “Fine,” she grumbled, heading over to the slate on the wall. She did kick at the piles on her way over to it, though. “Mm, ‘Please, don’t,’ don’t.” she added to the voice before it could finish it for her. “ ‘step on, the, leaves.’ Oh.” she turned to the piles that were more cluttered since her decent. “Whoops,”

_(Mm. Notice anything?)_

    “Eh?”

_(Anything, maybe similar to upstairs?)_

    “…the walls are the same color?”

    The voice gave an expressive sigh that enabled Rune to picture them shaking their head.

    “Hey why is everything the same color?”

_(Well I don’t know. All the same rock I guess.)_

    “I could’ve told you that.”

_(But you didn’t.)_

    Rune rolled her eyes and looked around her. “So…why can’t I step on the leaves? Does that apply everywhere or just in here? Are they special leaves? Is it just so they stay in the same spot? Oh I should put those ones back, huh? Okay I’ll-”

_(Jeez, it’s a puzzle!)_

    “…”

_(Did you not notice this is exactly the same layout as upstairs?)_

    “I mean,”

_(And that maybe taking the same path of avoiding the leaves up there would lead you on the spots that won’t collapse?)_

    “Um,”

_(This is literally the solution to the puzzle.)_

    “…well okay then,”

_(…)_

    Rune studied the piles with a little more dedication. “Something to say?”

_(…you really didn’t notice?)_

    “Sorry if I just fell on my face for the second time today. Wait, actually,” she squinted, trying to think. “Yeah, it should still be today. Or, tonight. Actually I don’t know how long I was out so maybe not, it was nighttime when I first fell and I’m not really tired so,”

_(It’s probably been a while.)_

    “Yeah.”

_(Do you have it memorized yet?)_

    “Think so.” She walked up to the edge of the wall, what would be the end of the puzzle above, and backtracked on the space between leaves. “Okay, yeah.”

_(Alright then, let’s get out of here.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *She sometimes isn't the smartest of monarchs,


	11. WOAH There, Pardner!

    Now that Rune knew the layout, the puzzle wasn’t very hard. Although it took some convincing from the voice to get her to move past a snail’s pace as she still didn’t trust the floor.

    “Rocks?”

_(Mm, hm.)_ the voice said, annoyingly smug about something.

    “What?”

_(Eh?)_

    “What are you thinking about?”

_(Oh nothing.)_

    “Suuuuuuuure.”

_(Well, I mean you sort of got a hint to this, a while back,)_

    Rune scowled in thought. “Uh … I mean, there was another rock like this that I had to push onto the switch,” she squinted at the other side of the room. “To put down spikes, like that.”

_(Yep. And?)_

    “And?” she repeated.

_(Geez come on you’re older than me I shouldn’t have to walk you through everything.)_

    “Well sorry if-wait, how old are you? Er, were you?”

_(…)_

    Rune bit her lip, regretting her question. “Sorry, uh, nevermind.” She approached the rock on her right, ready to slide it down to the switch in the floor-

    “WOAH there, pardner!”

    Rune jumped and looked around the room.

    “Who said you could push me around?”

    She froze and slowly, slowly turned back to the rock.  _No, it’s not, it can’t be,_

_(Oh but it is.)_

_But rocks aren’t monsters!_

    (They can be.)

    “Uh, sorry, I just, I need to hit the switches, so the spikes will go down,”

    The rock seemed to gain a more pensive shape. “HMM? So you’re ASKIN’ me to move over?”

    She was confused and bewildered, but figured she ought to answer. “Um, yes, please.”

    “Okay, just for you, pumpkin.”

    Rune snorted but couldn’t help grinning as the rock slid itself over the ground … about two inches.

    “Mh … sorry, Mr. Rock? That isn’t quite far enough.”

    “HMM? You want me to move some more?”

    Rune nodded while the voice in her head gave a laugh.

    “Alrighty, how’s this?”

    She blinked as it moved even less than last time … and in the wrong direction. The voice was flat out histerical now, and Rune had to try hard not to join in.

    “Oh, Mr. Rock? Sorry again, but uh, the switch is over there.” Rune pointed, abruptly wondering if the rock could even tell where she was motioning towards.

    “HMM? That was the wrong direction? Okay, think I got it.”

    She held her breath in anticipation as the rock began moving again. It was going the right way … going … going …

_Yeah!_

_(Only took three tries,)_ the kid said between laughter.

    “Thank you!” Rune offered, heading for the newly opened path. She raised an eyebrow. _You got awfully quiet all of a sudd-_ “HEY!” She jumped back as the spikes abruptly shot up right in front of her and spun around. The rock and moved off the switch, and the voice was laughing harder than ever. Rune bit her tongue and instead called back. “Mr. Rock! I kind of need the spikes to stay down so I can get past,”

    “HMM? You wanted me to STAY there?”

    “Well I mean just long enough to-”

    “You’re giving me a real workout.” The rock shuffled back and the spikes receded under ground once more.

    “Thanks!” Rune called, inching toward the doorway. She sprinted over the still-lowered spikes and stopped short by the door. “You can go back wherever you want now!” she told the rock, and moved on to the next room. “… what.”

_(What?)_

    “There’s just, a random cheese,”

_(Well I’d imagine it’s for the mouse.)_

    “Oh. Makes sense, I guess,” Rune took a few steps forward finding a small mouse hole in the wall.

_(Knowing the mouse might one day leave its hole and get the cheese … it fills you with determination.)_

    “I mean, I suppose … can’t I just give it to him?”

_(Wha? No!)_

    “Well why not?”

    The kid scoffed.  _(Well, go ahead then, if you feel so strongly about it.)_

    Rune felt this was suspicious, but didn’t think the mouse would be able to climb the table too easily, and went to get it for him.

    “…”

_(Well what are you waiting for?)_

    “…”

_(Hm?)_

    “. . it’s stuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *You guys know who's next, riiiiiiiiiiiiiight?? ;D


	12. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . . zzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . .

_(Ah, yeah, well, that's what you get for messing with the natural order of things.)_

     "What?! What 'natural order'? You're just being a pain."

_(Maybe.)_

     "Ugh." she contemplated breaking off a piece but decided to leave the cheese where it was and headed down the hall. She stopped short. "Uhh,"

  _(?)_

     "Is, is that a ghost?"

    _(Looks like it.)_ The kid responded nonchalantly.

     "That's, not you, is it?"

    _(Wha? No, I'm not corporeal.)_

     "That doesn't look very corporeal to me,"

  _(Yeahh you can see it though.)_

     Rune shook her head. This was ridiculous! Monsters, talking rocks, now ghosts? She made up her mind to not be surprised by anything anymore. If she found a dragon, or elves, she'd just wave hello and continue on her way.

     "Mh, I don't think I can get around it without stepping on it,"

      _(Would not recommend.)_

     "Right," She approached slowly. ". . . is it asleep?"

_(Dunno, listen,)_

     "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . . zzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . ."

     Rune raised an eyebrow. "Uh,"

     "zzzzzzzzzz . . . (are they gone yet?) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz . . ."

     "Uhm,"

    _(This ghost keeps saying 'z' out loud repeatedly, pretending to sleep.)_

     "Yep, noticed that . . . what should I do?"

  _(Move it with force?)_

     "What? No, why would I do that? Plus," Rune looked down at the slightly transparenty white bloop. "I don't think I even can."

    _(It's a monster ghost, not a human ghost. You can connect with it.)_

     "Geez sounds like you want me to kick it."

_(I mean,)_

     "No way! It hasn't done anything to me, and goat mom doesn't want me fighting, anyways." she licked her lips, trying to think of a solution. The ghost continued to 'z'. "Hm, can't argue with you there, friend." Rune eased down the wall and leaned back against it.

  _(What are you doing?)_

     "I'm tired too. My nap got cut short by a certain someone earlier."

     The ghost blinked, but continued to 'z'.

     Rune could picture the kid crossing their arms. _(Well Tori will be worried if we stay away too long.)_

     "I told her I can take care of myself, besides, I haven't found any difficult monsters, they all seem pretty nice. And this ghost is under care of my subjects right now, so I'm sure it's fine."

  _(. . .)_

     "What, no complaint?"

    _(Eh, do what you want.)_

     Rune shrugged and got as comfortable as possible. "Can do."

     She drifted to sleep as the monster ghost continued saying 'z', and the human ghost muttered something about not being a good monarch.


	13. But, Wait, the Donuts,

     ". . . um . . ?"

     A hesitant voice dragged Rune away from her dream of buttercups and small white dogs. She blinked some of the haze away and squinted, trying to make sense of what was in front of her.

     ". . . oh . . . " The slightly opaque monster asked. It was a bit of distance away and seemed incredibly nervous. "i'm sorry . . . i shouldn't have woke you . . . it looked like you were having a nice dream . . . oh . . ."

     Rune stifled a yawn and shook her head. "No, that's alright, I should get going anyway, thanks."

     "oh . . . well, you were sleeping for a while . . . i didn't know, if you were alright . . ."

     "Really, it's fine." Rune assured it. "Uh, what's your name?"

     "me? oh . . ."

     She thought the area under it's eyes was tinged pink, but it could just be the odd colored wall behind it.

     "i'm napstablook . . ."

     "Well hi, Napstablook, I'm called Rune."

     "rune?"

     "Mmhm."

     "oh that's . . . that's a nice name . . ."

     "Thank you, I like yours too."

     "i usually come to the ruins because there's nobody around . . . but today i met somebody nice . . ."

    _(I think they like you.)_

_Shut up._

     "oh . . . i'm rambling again . . . i'm sorry . . . i'll let you go on . . ."

     "Oh you don't have to I, oh!" Rune stared as Napstablook completely disappeared. "Oh,"

    _(Sounds like they rubbed off on you.)_

     "Eh?"

_(Nevermind. Rested enough? Can we go now?)_

     "Yeah." Rune stood up and stretched. "How long was I asleep?"

    _(I dunno, over an hour.)_

     "Should I call-wait," Rune looked back and forth between the two options. "Uh, which way should I go?"

      _(Whichever you want.)_

     "Gee I'm **so** glad I have you."

    _(Here to help.)_

     After some thinking, Rune decided to go left, and found a large room with a sign and a couple of Froggits inside. She turned and went back the other way.

  _(Oh come on it's just a sign, Rune.)_

     "Ha, ha, that's not why I came back."

      _(Oh?)_

     "I want to see what's . . ."

  _(. . . what is it?)_

     Rune had stopped at the doorway and spun on her heel. "Nothing."

  _(Wait,)_

     "I said 'nothing'."

    _(You're not-)_

     "No!" she hissed, promptly approaching the sign.

    _(Oh. My God.)_

     "Shuddup!"

  _(You're scared of spiders, aren't you?)_

     "I said no!" Had she not been focusing on looking focused on the sign, Rune might've noticed the odd looks the Froggits were sending her way.

_(Well why'd you turn around then?)_

     "It was a dead end!"

_(With a bake sale.)_

     "A, a what?"

  _(Maybe if you were actually reading the sign instead of trying to not be preoccupied with your phobia you would've noticed it says 'Did you miss it? Spider Bakesale down and to the right.')_

     "It, what, it's not a phobia," she countered. "They just, it's, they freak me out."

  _(Uhhuh.)_

     "Stop it! They're, with their skittery, ughh," she shuddered purely from imagining it.

    _(But they have donuts.)_

     ". . . what."

    _(They have donuts and cider, I think.)_

     "Wh, why-"

    _(Also don't forget, they aren't like surface spiders. They're monsters just like everything else down here.)_

     Rune took a beat before asking. "Surface spiders?"

    _(Yeah th-)_ the kid cut off suddenly, realizing what they'd said.

     "So you **are** a human?"

     She started at the noise the voice made. It didn't seem happy with the association.

 _(Are you going to the bakesale or not?) they_ growled.

     The sudden vehemence in their voice made Rune start walking immediately. So the kid was human . . . but then, why did they seem to hate the surface dwellers?


	14. Feels Crawled Up Close!

     Rune refrained from speaking to the child for a while, and heard nothing from them. She didn't have enough money for the bake sale, as the only encounter she'd come across was the Whimsum, but chatted with the Froggits that were in the hall(and found a tiny one that was hiding in a crack in the wall). One in particular had some interesting advice.

     (Surely you know by now that a monster wears a yellow name when you can spare it.)

     "Oh . . . I didn't, actually,"

     (It is rather helpful. Remember, sparing is just saying you won't fight. Maybe one day, you'll have to do it even if their name isn't yellow.)

     She raised an eyebrow but gave the little monster a nod. "Okay . . . thanks," she turned to continue but didn't get far before the cell phone let out it's tone.

     "Hello?" goatmom's voice prompted.

     "Hello! What's up?"

     "I just realized that it has been a while since I have cleaned up, I was not expecting to have company so soon. There are probably a lot of things lying about here and there, you can pick them up, but do not carry more than you need. Someday you might see something you really like, you will want to leave room in your pockets for that.

     Rune pressed her lips together, wishing she had pants with pockets in them instead of her boots, but nevertheless knew Toriel's advice was good. She, uh, pocketed the phone and continued to the next room.

     Mumbling at the sight of another sign, which read "There is just one switch", she looked around at the scattered unstable floor.

     ". . ."

  _(Scared?)_

     "No! I, just don't know where to go."

    _(Well try one.)_

     "What if it's wrong?"

  _(Who cares?)_

     "Well I don't really feel like falling on my face again."

    _(What's your HP?)_

     ". . . eh?"

    _(Your HP what are you at.)_

     "I . . . don't know what you're talking about."

     They made something like a sigh. _(Pull up your soul.)_

     "How am I supposed do that?"

      _(Well, find a battle then, if you don't know how.)_

     "Wh-"

  _(Look there's Moldsmal and Migosp over there, go up to them.)_

     ". . . you sure this is a good idea?"

    _(I thought you could handle yourself?)_

     Rune bit her lip. "Well, I can, traditionally, but this whole 'Soul Battle' thing is weird. I've never seen anything like it."

  _(You'll be fine.)_

     ". . ."

    _(Rune.)_

     "Yes alright!" she grumbled something but headed in the direction of the two monsters anyway. Once she started her approach, the monsters turned towards her.

     The world became devoid of color again.

  _(Migosp crawled up close!)_

     "You don't need to sound so excited about it."

  _(Yeah, well, oh look it's right there you-)_

     The monsters didn't seem like they were going to make the first move. "What? What is it?"

  _(Your HP it's . . . 28,)_

     "Yeah?"

  _(Your LV is 3.)_

     Rune raised an eyebrow. "Um . . . so? What's that mean? What's LV stand for?"

  _(. . . doesn't matter, just . . . end the encounter.)_

     "Uh, okay," Rune studied the options in front of her and selected 'ACT'. "Wait, the Froggit said, hold on," she went back to select 'MERCY' and 'Spare'. The frog monster accepted and hopped away, but the Migosp,

     "Swing your arms, baby."

     Rune tensed as the bug-like monster began it's attack . . . which was just a little version of itself dancing in the bottom of the box.

     "Uh,"

    _(Migosp doesn't have a care in the world.)_

     ". . . okay," Rune spared the second monster.

  _(YOU WON! You earned 0 XP and 3 gold.)_

     The world faded back into saturation.

     "So, is 28 good for HP?"

_(. . .)_

     "Kid?"

    _(You, you've hurt someone, haven't you?)_

     Rune froze. The words sent her mind automatically back to her nightmares. The memories she'd pushed away. The regret she'd tried to suffocate. "What, do you mean?" she asked carefully.

     The kid spoke quietly. (You _LV and HP only go up if you gain EXP, from killing someone.)_

     She didn't know what to say. But she didn't need to, she'd remembered, and the child had access to her thoughts. They undoubtably knew everything that had flitted through her mind just then.

_(. . . Rune?)_

     She closed her eyes.

  _(Rune, I, I'm sorry.)_

     She couldn't help it. Every happy memory she'd ever had with him wrestled for her attention. Every dull moment, every dumb decision, every adventure, no matter how small. The one he was killed on.

     She cried.


End file.
